Early Morning
by Awkwardly Intrepid
Summary: Glimpses into the inner-workings of the relationship between Sasuke and Sakura. Several unrelated drabbles/flash prose dealing with the dynamics of love and all of the complications that come in between.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: All characters and settings are property and copyright of their owners.  
Fanfiction stories provided for educational purposes and personal use only.  
**©_Naruto_ is copyright Masashi Kishimoto/Hayato Date/Shueisha/Studio Pierrot/TV Tokyo/Viz Media  
**

* * *

The sun filters through the gauzy white curtains and pierces through his eyelids. He blinks awake; nearly alert. After years of evading sleep and nightmares, he's found he is unable to sleep heavily nor peacefully.

Her presence helps though, and his eyes shift down to her inert form as she sighs and snuggles closer to him- still in the depths of peaceful rest.

The hand that rests on her shoulder slides up and fingers the ends of her hair. "So obnoxious," he sighs to himself, referring to its unorthodox color. Bright and a telltale trademark of its owner, he always makes sure she covers it when she goes out on a mission, pulling the hood of her anbu robe over her mask so it hangs snugly over what she deems a massive forehead.

He stares at the tresses in disdain, absently letting the silky strands slide through his fingers. It's longer now, reaching out just below her shoulders. Unkempt, it is no longer polished and pristine, often falling out of its binds and splitting at the ends.

Just as she had shed her youthful features and weakness of a twelve year old girl, she too shed her need to keep up her once routine hair regimen.

He smirks to himself. He couldn't recall very many of the memories of the time he spent as part of team seven, often tainted with painful recollections of grief and vengeance. Still, flickers of a twelve year old Sakura make themselves apparent in his thoughts.

Waiting on Sakura to finish fixing her hair as he and Naruto broke camp, Kakashi leaning against a nearby tree- the ever present orange book open in his right hand. Green eyes staring up at him, like a puppy, filled with an obscene amount of admiration and adoration. Jumping in at the last second to save her or divert a kunai from her path yet again.

He turns his head slightly, pressing his cheek against the forehead she still gets insecure about from time to time, often frowning at in the mirror. "Maybe the only part of her youth that she retained," he thinks as he traces a puckered scar on her shoulder absentmindedly.

He turns and brings her warm form closer to his body, his lips brushing against her forehead.

"So annoying," he sighs as he inhales the scent of her hair and lets the relaxation that comes with being close to her lull him back into sleep.


	2. Chapter 2

******So what started out as a simple one shot has turned into a series of unrelated drabbles. I apologize for my inconsistency. Thank you for reading, and leave me a review if you feel like it. Much love to all of you.  
**

* * *

Coming home, he walks into their flat and places the groceries he had just purchased onto the small kitchen table.

"Sakura?"

Arriving at the bedroom, he freezes at the sight of her. She stands on the far side of the room, and her back is to him as she fastens her ANBU gear.

"I just got a hawk. The hokage has requested to see me in his office in twenty minutes."

He thaws out a bit and rigidly walks over to her, picking up an arm guard and handing it to her.

"Was it urgent?"

She huffs and continues to fasten her chest plate, her fingers fumbling with the clasps in her haste. "Who knows? But I'd better hurry just in case. Oh for Kami's sake, I-"

"Tch. Stop." He gently takes her hands aside and finishes clasping her armor. She stares at him in annoyance- she is no longer a child, and she's not weak. She doesn't need to be doted on.

"Take care of yourself." he says as his fingers ghost over her anbu tattoo, the swirling design marking her pale flesh.

Green eyes flicker up to his in disbelief, "I'll be fine, Sasuke. Routine procedure. I am perfectly capable."

Out of nowhere, a hand grips her bicep and his eyes bleed red, three tomoes slightly spinning in their midst.

_No. _

Panic starts lacing itself between his thoughts, and his grip on her continue to tighten at the onslaught of his consciousness.

A million memories flash through his mind: grabbing Sakura around the waist- pulling her out of harms way, throwing himself in between her and an assailant, chucking a kunai to intercept another flying towards her unguarded throat, holding her back as she throws herself towards a fallen comrade- letting her emotions get the better of her.

She is weak.

Her eyes turn hard, and she glares at him. "Do not patronize me, Uchiha."

He returns her glare, infuriated and far from convinced. She is too weak. She'll get hurt. An uneasy pit fits itself in the depths of his stomach.

A tense moment passes until something flashes through her eyes, and her gaze softens. She moves the arm that is not being grasped and raises a hand to lightly rest on his cheek.

Her eyes search his as she questions him, "Are you scared?"

His pride will never let him admit it. Averting his gaze, he opts for looking down and just over her shoulder. He loosens his grip and exhales, "Do what you need to."

Only having returned to Konoha a year ago, he was far from accustomed to a life that was not completely overshadowed with pain and vengeance, and it was only six months ago that Sakura had accepted him as a part of her life again.

To others, they might have been moving too fast- flinching noticeably at the mention of Sakura letting him stay with her while he put his life back together. But they both knew first hand how quickly one could lose everything. The life expectancy for a civilian was forty two years of age. For a shinobi, one was lucky to live half as long.

The tension between the nations didn't help those odds. The ever impending threat of another war hung over them, and he was the one who had placed strain on the nations' alliances in his vendetta for blood.

He makes to turn away from her, but she stops him, "Don't." Her voice holds firm as the hand she had placed upon his cheek tenses. "Don't turn away from me."

He blinks and glares at her, his eyes turning dark once more.

Letting out a heated breath, she continues, "I am sorry. I promise that I will be careful." She pauses and smiles a little bit, "I'm a medic-nin before anything else; my job is to stay out of the way until I am needed, so don't worry."

"Tch. Annoying." His hands find her hips and he pulls her flush against him, kissing her roughly. His hand ghosts up and holds the back of her neck, pulling her closer and crushing her lips to his, while the other finds the hem of her uniform.

His thumb rubs across her hip bone coursely, and she lets him continue to kiss her hard- not worryied about his aggressiveness. He is not good with words, and she understands that.

He breaks the kiss and stares down into her eyes, his breath a little ragged.

Giving him a tentative smile, she clasps his hand, interlacing her fingers with his.

"I know."

She flash steps, and he lets her go- the window where she made her departure now open and letting the evening breeze flutter over his skin.

Sighing, he moves to their bed, curling on his side and staring at the wall.

He would never admit it, but he takes comfort in the fact that the pillows still smell like her.


	3. Chapter 3

He jumped, landing squarely on the railing of his porch connecting to their apartment. Konohagakure was bustling below him, and his uniform scarf fluttered behind him in the breeze.

"_Home,_" he thought.

He let himself into the little flat, sighing and taking off his ANBU mask.

"Sakura?"

No answer. He tensed. Where was she? His eyes flickered to a small yellow sticky note sitting crookedly on the refrigerator, placed there in haste.

_"Sasuke-_

_Got a mission notice. Should be back by late afternoon._

_Miss you._

_-Sakura"_

He glared at the little note before he snatched it off the fridge, crumpling it into his palm. The sun was already starting to set. Where _was_ she?

He sensed her presence a split second before the small thud of her landing reached his ears. He turned, seeing her balancing on the porch railing before agilely jumping down and letting herself into the room.

"Hey. I was hoping to beat you ho-"

She was interrupted by his hands on her hips, yanking her towards him and crushing her body swiftly against him. He glared at her before roughly removing her ANBU mask and pressing her lips against his in earnest.

She let out a little sigh, and he bit her lower lip. She barely registered the dull thud of her porcelain mask hitting the floor while he moved a hand up to stroke her jaw, his calloused hand rough against her soft skin.

She smiled against his lips, "I missed you too."

He pulled her face to his again, his hands finding the small of her back and lifting the hemline of her uniform top so he could feel the skin there.

He started unclasping the chest plate of her armor, making swift work of the buckles holding her chest plate. She mumbled a bit in protest.

"Sasuke, no. I have to go debrief. Hokage-sama's expecting me."

He pulled back and glared at her.

"Later."

She started to protest again, but he put a palm over her mouth and started placing fervent kisses on her neck. She let out a little moan, and he smirked against her throat, his ego inflating every second she gave into his advances.

His hands slipped to her lower back before dipping lower, and he groaned his approval in feeling her soft body beneath his hands. She let her head hit his shoulder, hiding her blush from him.

"Sasuke, please. The hokage-"

He growled and pulled just far enough away to glare at her, his eyes bleeding red, "Shut. Up."

He threw her against the wall, trapping her there with his body and kissing her with reckless abandon. "Mine," he said in finality.

She whimpered and gave in, finally responding to him in the way he liked best as she pressed her chest against his. He smirked against her lips.

He loved winning.


	4. Chapter 4

**So there hasn't been very much feed back in either direction. Haha I guess that's fine. I just hope I'm living up to your standards. Now then, let the cuteness ensue. **

* * *

There was a time when he would say the words, "I love you." He remembered saying it to his mother when she would embrace him before he went to bed, and even memories of embarrassingly mumbling it to Itachi during training sessions flickered through his mind.

_If life had played out differently, maybe I could say it to her._

He glanced over to Sakura on the other side of the kitchen putting assorted dishes away, just having washed them after their meal. He watched her form move around the small space as he made to put the leftovers in the fridge. The way she leaned over to reach the far side of the table, pulling her hair back into a bind in annoyance as it fell in front of her face.

When she turned, he moved towards her, hands finding her hips as he kissed her.

Words were lost to him as he had spent the better part of his life in a silence, but maybe he could show her.

She squeaked in surprise, and he kissed her harder in an attempt to convey what he felt.

A hand moved to hold her face while the other snaked around her waist, pulling her closer. He pulled away only to kiss down her jaw and her cheek.

He lifted her onto the counter, feeling a bit of pride in the way her legs moved on either side of him and pulled him closer to her.

He ravished her. Moving to her neck and letting his teeth graze her pulse point just the way she liked it. He needed her to know as he became aggressive in his kisses. _I love you_, he thought as he kissed her more still, hands clutching at her waist, and tasting her soft puffy lips- feeling her little tongue move against his. _I __**love **__you._

When he moved back to stare at her face, she laughed a little at his ever present glare, breathless from his affectionate assault.

"I love you, too."

Of course she had understood. She always did. His chest swelled in his feelings for her. He ducked his head, burrowing his face into the crook of her neck, "I love you," he breathed.

* * *

**I hadn't originally planned on him saying the dreaded "L word," and honestly, it still doesn't sit right with me. What do you guys think? **


	5. Chapter 5

She stirs awake and stares into space. Reorienting herself to consciousness, she exhales and takes note of her surroundings. It's late, and the moonlight filters through the bedroom window, giving everything a slight blue hue.

Shifting her weight slightly, she feels the pull of fabric around her body. He had lent her a shirt for the night, and the Uchiha emblem now stands out prominently on her back. She smiles a bit to herself. She knows the crest of his family's clan has been tainted with blood and betrayal- that he doesn't value it the way he used to anymore. Regardless, the fact that he let her wear it makes Sakura feel special.

Her eyes fall to his face. He's asleep across from her, and the ever present frown has set on his features, a wrinkle in between his brows. He looks so much like his father at that moment, his face a mirror image of the one she had seen in the family portrait he keeps on a shelf in his apartment, and she wonders if it is the actual resemblance to the legendary man or if his face has permanently contorted to a look of disdain after so many years of strife.

She silently prays to God that it is not the latter. Cautiously reaching out, she tentatively brushes the pads of her fingers against his furrowed brow.

His face twitches, and she snatches her hand back. She knows he sleeps lightly, just barely dancing between the lines of consciousness and sleep. She berates herself for her selfishness.

Sakura waits for his dark eyes to blink open at her, but it never comes. Staring at him in open curiosity now, she notices his eyelids twitch again- his lips moving slightly.

_He's dreaming_, she realizes. Staring at him in awe, her hand ghosts to rest on top of his.

He twitches at the contact, and mumbles incoherently. Moving slightly, she leans toward him in hopes of hearing some insight into his dreams.

After a couple minutes of silence, she starts to relax, convinced she had witnessed all that she was going to that night...But then she hears it.

It is a small and tiny sound, but he calls out in a painfully strangled breath.

"Mom.."

Her breath catches.

_Did he just...?_ Tears spring and start spilling on their own accord.

A deep maternal instinct rises from within her, and she feels an overwhelming need to comfort the man in front of her. A lump forms in her throat, and she swallows against it painfully.

Grief overwhelms her.

_I can't protect him. _

She crushes him to her, wrapping her arms around him. She wishes she could do more. She wishes she could take away his pain.

He's snapped into consciousness as soon as she moves. Feeling the softness of her chest against his cheek and her arms around his head, he is disoriented, "Wha? Sakura?"

_I can't do anything for him._

The thought flicker across her consciousness, and she lets out a strangled sob, feeling old wounds sting back to life. _Always so __**useless**__._

She holds him closer still, his raven tresses sticking to her tear stained cheeks as she kisses the top of his head and whispers, "I'm sorry."


	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: All characters and settings are property and copyright of their owners.  
Fanfiction stories provided for educational purposes and personal use only.  
**©_Naruto_ is copyright Masashi Kishimoto/Hayato Date/Shueisha/Studio Pierrot/TV Tokyo/Viz Media**

* * *

He shifts his weight uncomfortably and stares at the carpet. He feels out of place here, and he glares at the hardwood flooring of the small high rise apartment.

They had been out, and an idea had struck Sakura as they passed by the Yamanakas' flower shop.

And so he sat at the table of one Yūhi Kurenai, watching Sakura play with the woman's newly born child, cooing as she makes faces at it.

Kurenai's eyes had not left him since they had arrived, and he wonders if she blames him for indirectly having a hand in her lover's death, having had a connection with the Akatsuki. The genjutsu user was not being overly hostile towards him in any way, but her unwavering stare was enough to make him uncomfortable. He eyes the gold ring that glitters subtly on her left hand before sighing and diverting his gaze back to Sakura.

He watches her face as she stares at the infant in pure adoration, green eyes alive with love. Her skin is aglow with affection as she nuzzles the child's face with her own, her voice rising and falling in a babyish tone.

The child seems taken with her too, smiling and grabbing at her pink tresses. Even in the awkwardness of the situation, her beauty in that moment is not lost on him, and his heart palpitates painfully.

Did his mother look like Sakura does now when holding him as a baby? As Sakura cradles the infant closer to her chest he nearly chokes, torn by grief.

Distracted by his thoughts, he fails to notice Sakura move toward him, and before he can protest, she hands him the child. His head quickly snaps towards Kurenai, but the woman did not seem overly opposed to having the sharingan user hold her baby.

His eyes move to the inoffensive child, unsure of what to do in this situation.

Sakura starts giggling and even Kurenai cracks a smile. He has never looked so uncomfortable, holding the infant at arms length.

He pulls the baby closer to his body. It's soft, and its thin fuzzy hair tickles his skin. The distinct smell of infancy assaulted his nose, and his nose wrinkles on its own accord. The child is small, growing out of infancy, but not yet a toddler.

The baby lets out a small content wail, and Sasuke nearly jumps out of his skin.

Kurenai and Sakura burst out in laughter. He shoots the pink haired woman a helpless look, but she simply shakes her head in amusement before taking the infant back in her arms.

* * *

They are back in their flat, and she rinses the dishes after a shared a meal as he prepares tea.

"It was so nice of Kurenai sensei to let us play with the baby. I hope she likes the daffodils we gave her."

"Hn."

She snorts, stifling a giggle, "You should have seen your face. You would have thought the baby was the most atrocious thing in Konoha by the way you were staring at it. For someone who claimed that his future goal was to restore his clan on the first day of ninja training, you lose your composure around kids."

She suddenly goes quiet, and he looks over to her. Her expression has fallen flat, and she is staring out into space. Lost in thought, her hands move absentmindedly. Her head suddenly snaps up though, and she walks towards him to deposit a dish towel on the stove handle, kissing him quickly on the cheek.

"Oh, well. I'm sure you'll make a great father some day."

She returns to the sink, draining the dish water and making to clean off the surrounding counter tops.

He moves to her and wraps strong arms around her waist from behind. Sakura melts against him, but her face is blank, almost sad. He inhales the scent of her hair before he ducks his head into the crook of her neck.

His nose skims the side of her neck as he exhales,

"Some day."

* * *

It's nearly 3 o'clock in the morning in Olympia, Washington, and I am still awake. This chapter has been the most fun for me to write, although I did struggle a bit. To my knowledge, the gender of Kurenai's baby has not yet been revealed. During a question and answer session held at Tokyo's Jump Fest '09, Kishimoto stated that he was thinking of making Kurenai and Asuma's child a girl, but nothing's official (as far as I know).

I am currently struggling with writing with Sakura's view point as the main focus. I'm closer to Sasuke personality wise, so she's a bit difficult for me. Thank you so much for reading this far. Much love, much love.


	7. Chapter 7

She crawls onto their bed, fumbling a bit as she finds the edge of the blankets before she pulls them back and scurries underneath. Lifting her gaze, she finds him still out of bed, staring at her from across the room.

Warmth pools into her stomach as she discerns the look on his face. There is nothing about it that stands out in particular, no expression marring his features. He just stares at her blankly before moving towards her, filtered moonlight caressing his form.

She remembers when the lack of expression on his face would scare her- it used to make her question his motives, insecurity lodging itself within her. But she knows better now.

He hovers over her, and she stares up at him, her head sinking into the pillows as he leans down towards her. His scent reaches her nose, and her heart palpitates almost painfully as she looks into his eyes. Maybe it is an after effect of meeting the sharingan in combat, but she feels as though his eyes pierce through her, seeing so much more than the way she appears beneath him.

He leans down quickly, effectively closing the distance between their faces, and kisses her fiercely. He had never been particularly gentle, his hands more accustomed to destroying than nurturing as a hand grabs the back of her neck in the darkness. Maybe that would bother some women, mistaking his abruptness for a lack of intimacy, but she knew better.

His days spent in search for his brother had left him inept to most social cues. And while his childhood was spent avoiding human contact, now after he had willingly returned home, he was at a loss of how to interact. His innate arrogance didn't help his case either. Still, Sakura had come to love his awkwardness. She had come to love _him_.

Her mind wanders back to her childhood, when she had believed she loved him as a girl, blindingly following and even offering to throw away her life for him. She scowls at the memory, and a blush rushes to her cheeks and neck. _So __**stupid**_.

He feels the frown settle in her features beneath him, and he pulls away, staring into her face blankly for a second before ducking his head and nipping at her collarbone once, a question.

She sighs and pulls his face back to hers as she kisses him just as roughly as he had. He pulls back and drags his hand up her left side, watching her face as his calloused palm creates friction against soft skin. She lets out a small whine, and he smirks, pleased by her reaction. As his canines graze her pulse point, she almost whimpers and threads her fingers through his tresses, a bit longer now since he had come home.

She absentmindedly wonders what the others would think if they saw this side of Sasuke, so honest in his movements. He remains aloof in public, constantly aware of the villagers' scrutiny, the eve present glare on his face.

His arrogance makes others believe he thinks himself above them, indifferent to their stares. Still, as a hand finds her face in the darkness and pulls her lips to his again in earnest, she cannot help but think that he resembles a little boy again, pleading for acceptance the only way he knows how.

She closes her eyes and melts into him, accepting the man before her in every conceivable way.


	8. Chapter 8

The rain fell into pools of red, fraying the edges and dulling the color as it washed the life force away.

He stumbled every now and then, and a fresh torrent of the red liquid would land on the cobblestones. Taking a hard step, he winced and clutched the wound on his side harder. He had to keep moving. He had to see her; the last words she had said to him reverberated through his head like little bells chiming his name:

_"You'll come straight home, right?"_

People were starting to stare, coming out of shops and into the rain to cast worried glances as the Uchiha hobbling down the street. His glare kept them at bay.

_Sakura._

* * *

It was a dreadfully rainy day in Konohagakure, and she had decided to stay home and prepare herself for an upcoming mission. A kunai gleamed deadly in her hand as she wiped away traces of blood from her last excursion.

Her head snapped up as she heard a thud outside of the front door. The kunai tightened in her grip and she went to the front of her little flat.

She gasped at the sight of Sasuke in his anbu uniform, hobbling into the front room. He was soaked to the bone, but something more was off about him. He was hunched over, his hand clutching his side, and crimson was seeping through his fingers.

"Oh my god, Sasuke. Just hold on a second while I-"

He moved forward, falling into her. She put a foot back to brace herself, but still shrunk a little underneath his weight, "Sasuke!"

He let his eyes close as he felt the warmth of her embrace. He closed his eyes, the safety of her finally letting him relax.

He exhaled as he fell out of consciousness against her,

"I'm home."


	9. Chapter 9

"Tch." he scowled and yanked his arm out of her grip, "Stop."

"You're doing it wrong." She moved to take his forearm into her hands again and started wrapping a bandage around the holding seals tattooed on his wrists. He was not yet used to human contact, and he looked away- embarrassed.

He failed to remember ever feeling like this in the past. The last time he was comfortable with human contact, he was but a child shadowing his brother or clasping onto his mother's hand. The last time he was comfortable with human contact-

He obliterated the thought before it could reach further into his consciousness, gritting his teeth as a new swell of grief and frustration threatened to overcome him. Those days were over.

"Sasuke?"

He brought his attention back to the girl seated before him. _No, not girl. _The word "girl" implied that she still retained a bit of her youth.

He had returned to Konohagakure just short of six months ago, and he still found it difficult to connect the woman in front of him to the little girl whose presence irritated him as a child. Much like her name alluded, Sakura had bloomed. The woman before him was calmer, assured of her actions. Her body had hardened with years of training, yet retained a softness that was purely feminine.

Her green eyes flickered back and forth between his for a second or two, trying to discern the sudden tenseness of his muscles, before she resumed wrapping the bandages, "You've been wrapping these too tightly; you'll hinder your blood circulation. What are you, a masochist?"

He stared down at her blankly. What _was_ she? Had he not tried to kill her when she attempted, on numerous occasions, to bring him back to Konoha? Yet she kept coming back for him. He realized he might not be the best of judges when it came to social normalities, but that kind of devotion seemed a bit unorthodox, even to him.

His eyes ran from her face to her form, hunched over him, finishing up his left wrist. As she continued the bandage roll to the underside of his forearm, he caught a glimpse of creamy skin peeking out of the collar of her shirt.

When she bent over further still, he diverted his gaze, a hint of pink dusting his cheek bones.

"You would know," he quietly answered her question, alluding to the nights they spent together, smirking as a deep blush colored her cheeks.

* * *

**Hello, and thank you for reading this far! I really appreciate your support, and if you have sent me a request for something you'd like to see, I will try to work it in within the next few chapters (here's to hoping I live up to your expectations. I am at your mercy here!(laughs)). Again, thank you all so much. Until next time! **


	10. Chapter 10

**I was asked to write a story centering around the idea of jealousy, and I jumped at the opportunity. This one's for you, crazymel2008. I tried to fit as much of your prompt into the piece as possible while still maintaining the characterization. I hope it lives up to your expectations, and as always, thank you for reading this far!**

* * *

She walked into the flat, arms full of groceries. She sighed in relief, gingerly placing her load onto the small counter top before calling out,

"Sasuke?"

No answer. She blinked once. It wasn't like the Uchiha to call back, but he usually made his presence known to her in some way. Walking towards the bedroom, her head peered around the door frame,

"Sasuke?"

He was there, sitting on the edge of the bed and cleaning his chokutō, refusing to acknowledge her presence. She walked to him, crawling to the far side of the bed, and embraced him from behind, her elbows on his shoulders and her head resting contentedly on top of his. She noted the way his jaw tightened as she did, and she leaned down and to the side, trying to discern the expression on his face.

She blinked as she found herself on her back, his body forcing hers down into the mattress almost painfully as he smashed her lips to his with reckless abandon.

She flinched; something was wrong. It wasn't in his nature to be gentle, but Sasuke had never hurt her in his advances before. Pressing her palms to his upper arms, she assertively pushed against him, making her intentions clear. He scowled, grabbing her wrists and pinning them down above her head with one hand, the other palming and grabbing at the flesh of her body roughly.

Sakura shook her head, and his hand snaked up to her face, holding her chin almost painfully.

She willed the chakra to flow to her fist. Breaking his hold and expelling her chakra at the point of contact, she sent a right hook into his jaw, channeling some of the super strength she had inherited from her mentor.

His head snapped to the side with the impact, and he stared at the wall for a second before turning back to her, eyes wide in shock before narrowing at her again.

She glared back at him evenly, moving up as far away as the space would allow and clutching her blouse to her chest, "What is _wrong_ with you?"

He stared at her evenly for a moment before roughly shoving off the bed, getting up to leave.

She stared at his retreating form for a second before she got up, moving hurriedly to catch up with him. Catching up to him clumsily, her arm reached out and grabbed the sleeve of his shirt from behind. He stopped but quickly yanked his arm out of her grip. A hurt look crossed her face.

Sakura made her way around him so she could face him dead on, wary of his reaction to her, "Sasuke? I don't understand, is something wrong?"

He averted his gaze, staring just over her shoulder and towards the floor. Reaching out, she gently placed a hand on the side of his face, "Sas-"

She was cut off by a fierce hand closing around her wrist, pulling it a ways off his face. Cold eyes met hers in a glare.

"You smell like him."

But the only person to touch her today was-

_Oh_.

As she was walking home a man who had just started taking shifts at the hospital had stopped her outside of her apartment building and had asked if she would like to go out with him sometime. Her eyes flickered to the window, realizing that if he had peered down at the right time, Sasuke could have watched the entire scene from their flat.

She felt him stiffen a bit when she moved to wrap her arms around his neck.

"I'm sorry." she whispered into his chest. "He just graduated his chunin exams, and he's studying under me as an apprentice medic-nin. He didn't . . . He doesn't know about us." Pulling away, she lifted her head to stare at his face before adding, "I didn't realize you had seen that. You should have told me."

He continued to glare off the side, disgusted at his weakness.

Sakura stared at him for a second before returning her arms to their previous position around his neck again and kissing him softly on the cheek.

Sasuke came off as arrogant, but he was human and often awkward when it came to expressing himself. Where he was strong in physical combat, he faltered in social skills, and she knew how hard it was for him to communicate.

Desperately wanting to put him at ease, Sakura pulled away slightly before burying her face into the crook of his neck, and exhaling,

"I love you. Please know that."

He sighed and she felt strong forearms wrap around her waist lightly, letting his head hit her shoulder,

She held him closer still, tears welling up and threatening to spill over,

Minutes passed and she continued to hold the man before her, silently praying she got through to him.


	11. Chapter 11

**When I first read that I had a request to write a piece that took place the morning after their wedding day, I have to admit I kind of panicked. I don't know the first thing about matrimony, and it's not exactly something I think about often (laughs). Hopefully, I didn't botch it too badly. Noura, this one's for you. **

* * *

She shifted, scowling slightly at the sun. It was late in the afternoon, but for once they had slept in. Her body stretched lithely in an almost feline manner, and a smile found its way to her lips when her body bumped into his lightly. A little squeak ghosted her lips when an arm snaked around her waist and pulled her roughly against his form underneath the covers.

Turning so that she faced him, she moved to place her hands onto his chest. As she stretched her fingers towards him however, she felt an unfamiliar sensation on her left hand. Like it was slightly heavier.

It wasn't until the small shimmer of light caught her eye that she remembered the ring on her left hand, the little gold band sitting delicately on her finger.

He held her closer, feeling his chest swell as she curled herself closer underneath the down comforter. Last night she had finally decided to tie herself to him in the one way she had yet to prior.

His eyes closed and he pressed his face into her hair. This woman. So infuriating and persistent and he smirked at the word..._annoying. _

Ducking his head, his nose found itself buried into her, gently nipping at the skin at the junction of her neck and shoulder.

His hands moved on their own accord, stroking her body in the ways he knew she liked, trying to get a response from the pink haired woman.

"_Sakura_."

She shivered a bit at the sound of her name, his lips now at her ear and his hands moving achingly slow on her.

He gently pressed her shoulder down, and she sunk into the mattress, staring up at the ceiling as he moved to hover over her.

Her arms stretched to rest on his shoulders, tilting her head back and giving in to his advances. Sakura's eyes were drawn to the ring again as it caught the light and glittered subtly at her, and her thoughts wandered.

It was what she had always dreamed of, of course, and she blushed at the memory of a younger version of herself fantasizing about a certain raven haired boy sweeping her off of her feet.

How had she ended up here?

Her face flushed a delicate shade of pink as the man above her kissed the pulse point on her neck, and as her eyes drifted to the gold band glittering at her, she decided she didn't care.


	12. Chapter 12

Disclaimer: All characters and settings are property and copyright of their owners.  
Fanfiction stories provided for educational purposes and personal use only.  
**©_Naruto_ is copyright Masashi Kishimoto/Hayato Date/Shueisha/Studio Pierrot/TV Tokyo/Viz Media**

* * *

Blue light fell through the window and grazed his left side. The place was desolate, and he was grateful for that. He was unsure if he would have been able to keep his composure if he had had to be wary of other bodies around him.

He felt his jaw strain, and a his hand clenched, grabbing a fistful of the fabric on his clothes to deter it from shaking.

The sun had set nearly eight hours ago, and he had been sitting alone in lobby of Konoha General Hospital for the better part of the night. What was _taking_ so long?

She had been ambushed on the last leg of her journey, returning home after a solo reconnaissance mission. During combat, Sakura had failed to evade an enemy's attack, and had sustained significant wounds to her mid section. She had succeeded in taking out her two assailants, but had lost consciousness soon after.

After failing to hear back from her beloved student, Tsunade had sent two ANBU members after her. When they found her, she was open and bleeding out in the forest.

The Uchiha's lips turned down in a grimace. What if she lost too much blood? What if the reinforcements had arrived too late? Had something else happened? What if she was de-

His fist swung out to his side, connecting solidly with the cement wall. Cracks in the pavement spiderwebbed from the point of impact, and the Uchiha glared at the floor. He couldn't afford to think that way.

The door at the front of the room creaked as the hokage walked out into the lobby. His head snapped up. In a second he was there, clenching a fistful of her haori and glaring menacingly at the legendary shinobi.

She met his glare evenly, not the least bit intimidated by the Uchiha.

"She sustained a lot of injuries, and we were hard pressed to mend some of her internal organs. She's severely anemic at the moment, but she has stabilized . . . She will survive, Uchiha."

He glared at her for another second before releasing the hokage, turning abruptly as he made his way out of the hospital.

Tsunade watched him go, glaring at his retreating form before sighing heavily and kneading her forehead, obscenely annoyed,

"Children, I swear..."


	13. Chapter 13

**My writing has started to dance between the lines of content in terms of maturity, so I bumped up the rating up for the sake of safety and leg room. As a general rule, I'm not into explicit material (I try to keep it tasteful), so please do not worry too much. As always, I hope you enjoy, and thank you for reading this far!**

* * *

Sometimes, when they would go out together, he would let his eyes wander, noting how different his surroundings were from what he had seen in his youth. The buildings were new, having just been rebuilt after the destruction of the wars, and the streets seemed devoid of unrest.

The people of his childhood had changed too, having matured into adulthood in his absence from the fire country. Some were married now, and as his eyes as his eyes passed over a woman with a swollen stomach, he realized some might be expecting children as well.

He stared a bit longer at the woman, her stomach swelling at an absurdly pronounced curve, far along in her pregnancy. He felt a weight on his arm, and he looked down to see Sakura clinging to him, her fingers squeezing into his forearm. She was staring up at him, green eyes a bit too reflective, like tears were about to spill over.

He blinked. Was something the matter? He looked down at her, his gaze questioning, but the thought was gone as quickly as it had appeared as she continued to tug him around the market.

* * *

Back at their flat, arms wrapped around her from behind, and she felt his teeth graze her shoulder. Sakura fell back against him, letting her head fall back on his chest.

"Hey, Sasuke-kun?"

He was surprised to hear the suffix tacked onto his name, something she hadn't called him in years. He never used honorifics when referring to someone, a habit left over from the arrogance in his youth, and Sakura had continued to use them with him up until a couple years ago, only dropping the suffix in light of their relationship.

She turned in his arms, and he saw the look in her eyes had returned again. So he hadn't imagined it, but what was it that had bothered her?

"You..." her head lowered a little in embarrassment, "...You do love me right?"

He blinked. As a general rule of thumb, Sakura didn't get insecure. It did happen from time to time though, and he had often caught vulnerability lacing her features when she stared at her forehead in the mirror for too long with a frown on her face or when she talked at length with Ino. It was in moments such as these that her demeanor changed, and he caught glimpses of the little girl from his youth.

He leaned in and kissed her hard, unrelenting in his actions as his hands roamed across her body in testament to just how much he felt for the woman beneath him.

When he pulled away, she was breathless, and he stared down at her, waiting for her to elaborate.

She stared back for a second before averting her gaze, hanging her head a little. He wasn't getting through to her, and he ground his teeth in frustration. Not confident in his ability to articulate his feelings, he found himself moving in to kiss her neck, spending more time to work her body in a way that would make his feelings tangible.

His hand slipped to her hips, and he picked her up, holding her to him and groaning slightly as her body pressed deliciously against his. He moved swiftly to their bedroom, determined to show Sakura exactly how much he cared for her.


	14. Chapter 14

**I'm embarrassed to say that the inspiration for this one came via cupcakes... (facepalm) So awkward.**

* * *

The sun was starting to set in Konohagakure; rays of sun filtered through the window and splashed everything in orange light. She was in the small kitchen area of her flat and she starred in annoyance at the confectionary ingredients sprawled out on the counter.

This really shouldn't have been so hard, she reasoned as she stared at the disarray of culinary implements. Flu season had hit the village, and she had wanted to make a cake as a get well gift for one of her coworkers who had fallen ill. But as her eyes grazed over the spilled flour and and a stray egg that had fallen and splattered on the floor, she wondered if she was more suited to kunai knives than culinary desserts. Still, she moved to grab the bag the bag of frosting, determined to finish what she had started.

He walked into their flat, locking the door behind him before swiftly removing his ANBU mask, only to be frozen in his spot as he looked towards the kitchen. What had _happened_?

Sakura was standing over a counter facing him, but she failed to notice his presence as she shakily wielded a bag of frosting over a small round yellow cake. His nose wrinkled; he didn't have much of an affinity for sweets.

Sakura's pink tresses were disheveled, tiny globs of cake batter stuck in some parts. Flour was stuck onto the heels of her hands and, he saw as she swiped some hair out of her face, some was smeared onto a her cheekbone as well. Her brow furrowed and the corner of her tongue sticking out in concentration, and he smirked at the sight of a bit of whip cream that was stuck on her cheek.

The kitchen area looked no worse for wear, and he shook his head at the absurdity of one girl creating a mess of this magnitude before walking over to the pink haired woman. His mouth parted slightly to speak, but she cut him off,

"Don't interrupt me; I'm almost done. Just a little bit ri-ght...here." But as she positioned her hand to add the finishing touches of frosting, she overshot her strength and frosting shot out of the bag, making an awkwardly disproportionate blob on the side of the cake.

She put down the bag of frosting off to side and hung her head, dejected. A smirk graced his features at how absurd she looked, covered in cake batter, but he had to admit he found her effort endearing.

Wrapping his arms around her lazily from the side, he kissed her neck once quickly.

"I guess I'm not really cut out for things like this," she mumbled.

His tongue darted out of his mouth and quickly swiped up a wayward glob of frosting that had ended up on her cheek before releasing her,

"Hn."


	15. Chapter 15

**If I was nervous to write about matrimony, I was absolutely _terrified_ when I got a sudden influx of requests asking for a drabble that dealt with pregnancy. I'm so ignorant about these things (babies are the absolute _last_ thing on my mind at this point in my life), and I had to do some research to make sure I had my facts straight. I shudder to think of the conclusions my friends/family would draw based on my recent internet browser history... It's all in the name of research, I promise! Anyways, thank you so much for reading so far. Here's chapter 15 of Early Morning.**

* * *

"Sasuke?"

His head snapped up at the sound of Sakura calling his name from further within their flat. The sound of her voice was high and shaky, like she was unnerved. He put down the dish towel in his hand and moved quickly toward the noise, finding her in the small bathroom.

He stopped at the entrance, eyes tracing her form in an attempt to find something in her posture that gave light to her apparent distress. She was at the small sink, bracing herself on her hands as her head hung before her, shoulders shaking slightly.

His eyes froze on the source of her panic, and he stared at the small device laying in front of her.

"Sakura?"

"Sasuke-kun, I'm-" Her voice cut off, and her body heaved with a sob, choking on her words, "I-... I'm-"

Words failed her as she hastily grabbed the pregnancy test and turned to him, bottle green eyes shining with tears as she held up the small piece of plastic.

Two muted red lines stared at him in the face, solidifying that which he had already guessed.

She was pregnant.

He seemed unable to compose a thought for several seconds before his mind shot forward at an alarming rate, but, as his eyes refocused to the woman in front of him, he saw he had more pressing matters.

Sakura was still facing him, but her entire frame was shaking, on the edge of hysteria. Her breath was coming out in small pants, and she looked so fragile, as if the lightest of touches would break her. Tears shakily dropped from the corners of her eyes as she stared unevenly at him.

He moved and wrapped his arms tightly around her shoulders, crushing her tightly to him, holding her together.

"Sakura..."

She drew in a deep, shaking breath, "I just- I don't...A baby? How can...? What if you-" Her form stiffened against him again before she before a fresh wave of tears wracked her frame, "Sasuke, please. Please don't leave me again...Sasuke-kun."

He pressed her closer to his form. Her newfound vulnerability had brought up old insecurities, and she clutched to him, still shaking violently.

He opened up his lips to try and console the girl in front of him, but her words had brought back his earlier uneasiness.

_Could_ they do this? What if the baby inherited his kekkei genkai? And, he grit his teeth as the thought made itself apparent in his consciousness, would the baby inherit the pain that came with being born under the name of Uchiha?

What about him? He had no doubt that Sakura had the potential to be a decent parent, despite her current state, but did he have that kind of competence?

His father's face flashed through his mind, and he felt his hands clench into fists at Sakura's back. Would he be the same, putting the lives of those he cared about at risk in order to fulfill his own vendetta. He froze at the thought.

Hadn't he _already_ done that?

His apprehension and racing thoughts were brought to an abrupt halt as Sakura moved underneath him. She stood straight, no longer leaning on him as her hands let go of his shirt and wrapped around herself, fingernails biting into the skin of her upper arms.

She looked up at him, "Sasuke . . . Can we really do this?"

He looked down at the woman before him before moving his hand to take one of hers, interlacing their fingers and brushing her tears away with the corner of his hand.

He let out a breath and rested his forehead against hers, letting his eyes slip closed as answered her softly.

"…Hn."


	16. Chapter 16

Disclaimer: All characters and settings are property and copyright of their owners.  
Fanfiction stories provided for educational purposes and personal use only.  
**©_Naruto_ is copyright Masashi Kishimoto/Hayato Date/Shueisha/Studio Pierrot/TV Tokyo/Viz Media  
**

* * *

The apartment was quiet as he runs a cleaning cloth over kunai.

She moves around the kitchen, and his eyes graze her form as she mills about in an attempt to keep herself busy. Bending over at the waist, she reaches over to retrieve a dish on the far side of the counter. His eyes widen a fraction, and he gazes appreciatively at the way the spandex of her clothes stretch across her body, tantalizing him.

A sigh passes his lips. This woman. Always alluring him with her movements. He wonders if she does this on purpose, intentionally driving him further and further towards temptation. She validates his thoughts as her gaze meets his, her lower lip tugs between her teeth.

"Hey. Are you almost done?" she asks as she walks over to him. She sits herself next to him and moves to grab one of the discarded weapons laid in disarray on the coffee table. As she reaches across him though, she moves achingly slow, letting her chest brush against him.

He lets out an exasperated breath, "Sakura..."

She looks up at him innocently, "What?"

He averts his gaze, pink dusting his cheek bones, and shakes his head once, "Nothing."

She shrugs and continues cleaning.

He pushes back the indecent thoughts, and resumes his task.

He feels her upper leg press up against his insistently, and he shoots her a glare,

"_Sakura._"

But she doesn't even look up as continues to rub blackened blood off of a shuriken, "hmmm?"

His eyes measure her for another second before he resumes cleaning, a bit more force than necessary running through his fingers. Silence passes between the two as the routine motion

"Ow." She flinches, and his eyes move to her again. The shuriken she previously held had been discarded, and she stares at her finger as blood runs from the small laceration. The cut is insignificant, but she stares up at him as she puts the afflicted finger in her mouth in an effort to stem the blood flow.

He glares at her as she sucks daintily on her finger, her mouth curving a delicate "o" around the digit and her lower lip jutting out.

Before she can process the look on his face, she finds herself in his lap, straddling his hips as he places angry kisses to her jaw.

"Fucking tease."

Over his head where he couldn't see, a mischievous grin finds its way to her features.


	17. Chapter 17

"Morning."

He looks up, still fresh of waking up. She's in the kitchen, and she looks over and smiles at him just as the sun comes out behind the clouds, illuminating her figure through the window that stands behind her.

Her hair is loose for once, hanging below her shoulders, shining golden where the sun's rays hit her. As his gaze lowers, he notices pale legs stretch on from underneath a simple shirt that hits her mid-thigh, a pair of chopsticks still in her left hand as she prepares breakfast over a hotplate. He shields his eyes with the back of his hand in an attempt to block out the sudden brightness of the sunrise,

"Hn."

She smiles at him for a moment longer before turning back to her task.

"Is there anything you would like to ea-" her words are cut off by a slight moan as she feels him move behind her, feeling his hands move to her waist before sliding down to play with the hemline of her makeshift nightgown. His face nuzzles her neck from behind, and she has the mind to turn off the hot plate before turning to him.

Dark eyes stare at her, and anticipation pools in her stomach. His hands push her back, and she complies, her lower back bumping into the countertop. He continues to move against her, his thumb rubs across her hip bone over her shirt and she stares up at him questioningly.

He lifts her so she's perched on the edge of the countertop, and settles himself between her legs. He kisses her, soft lips underneath his. She sighs underneath him and he moves a hand to her face.

"Sasuke..."

Their heads snap up as they hear stomping footsteps out in the hall. The door to his apartment flies open and hits the opposite wall with a resounding bang, and Naruto stands in the doorway with an arrogant grin on his face.

"Oi, Bastard! Have you seen Saku. . . .ra?"

The blonde freezes in the doorway, not sure what to make of the sight in front of him. Sasuke feels the kunoichi below him blush and duck her head into his shoulder. He moves to pull the hem of her nightshirt lower in an attempt to cover her body from the village's number one hyperactive knucklehead ninja.

Naruto's face sparks with realization before flushing into the deepest of reds,

"Oh, SHIT." The blonde runs out, effectively slamming the door behind him.  
The Uchiha sighs in exasperation before glancing down expectantly. The pink haired girl stares up at him sheepishly,

"I might have forgotten to let anyone know where I was going last night."

"Tch...Annoying."

His hands move to her legs and her shirt rides up to its original position. She yields underneath him, and he feels a wave of possessiveness wash over his consciousness. Pulling back, he stares at her body, slight feminine curves hidden under folds of cotton,

"Mine."


	18. Chapter 18

He finished fastening on his chest plate, grabbing his standard issue porcelain mask off the table and looking over to her.

"Sakura."

She was in the middle of his apartment, sitting on the couch and staring out into space. Her expression was lifeless, her eyes dead.

He moved to her, and her body made no recognition of his presence. He walked in front of her, taking her wrists in his hands and lifting her so she stood in front of him. It wasn't until his hands moved to her shoulders that her eyes refocused on his face.

"I have to go."

She faltered, and hot tears came down on the sides of her cheeks.

He had received a mission notice, and having just returned to Konohagakure just shy of six months ago, it was going to be his first absence from the village since his return. Sakura had originally came over to drop off a meal for him, but had promptly shut down upon hearing the news, letting insecurity consume her.

What if, after he left, he decided not to return? Old wounds stung back to life as she remembered the night on which he had first left the village years prior. She grit her teeth against the new torrent of tears, ashamed of her weakness.

He sighed, a little exasperated

"Sakura...Nakanai de."

She looked up at him, still shaky, and he stared at her evenly.

"You'll come back, right?"

He stared at her for another moment before leaning towards her. At the last second, he hesitated, unsure of what to do in this situation. Romance was something that had been lost on him in his search for vengeance, and while he was sure he had made his feelings towards the girl apparent within the past few months, he had scarcely touched her.

His lips quickly pushed against hers awkwardly, and retreated just as quickly as they had come. Her eyes were wide in shock when he pulled away. He stared at her for another second before letting his hands drop to his sides.

"Hn."

He flash stepped, and her eyes were drawn to the curtains fluttering slightly in the breeze, the window now open from Sasuke's departure.

Her hand lifted, and her fingers ghosted to her lips.

* * *

**"Nakanai de" is "don't cry" in Japanese.**

**Thank you all for reading. Until next time!**


	19. Chapter 19

Evening stretches into morning in Konohagakure, and they move quickly through the night. Foot falls barely registering as the squad members made their way towards their respective homes after debriefing at Hokage tower. The night had fallen heavily on the village, only a few lights glowing yellow through open windows on the horizon.

He moves quickly, more than ready to be home after his extended absence. The mission had been trying, and his body begs him for the familiarity and comfort of his mattress, body sinking into the soft material and a nose full of pink hair as he grabs her from behind.

Would she still be awake? Doubtful. Still, as his eye focuses on the window of their little flat off in the distance, he sees a small yellow light against the stark contrast of the night. Was she waiting up for him?

His pace increases, and he keeps his eyes locked on the little light in the distance.

The door creaks quietly as he makes his way inside, turning off the light she had left on and noting a bag of groceries that Sakura had apparently neglected to put away. Lazily he makes his way to the bedroom, pausing a bit at the sight that greets him from the doorway.

Her hair is loose and disheveled, and the white sheet from their bed drapes haphazardly over her form. She looks peaceful, curled lithely on her side. Her breath, low and shallow under the weight of unconsciousness.

His gaze stills for a moment, and warmth pulls through his chest as he notices a shirt of his in her hands, held close to her face.

Waiting for him to come home.

* * *

**I realize this one is quite a bit shorter than the others, and I apologize for my inconsistency. Honestly, this one still doesn't sit right with me at all, but (sighs) I guess it's whatever. **

**Thank you to all of my frequent reviewers. You all are so sweet, and I really appreciate everything you've posted. Much love to all of you. **


	20. Chapter 20

Disclaimer: All characters and settings are property and copyright of their owners.  
Fanfiction stories provided for educational purposes and personal use only.  
**©_Naruto_ is copyright Masashi Kishimoto/Hayato Date/Shueisha/Studio Pierrot/TV Tokyo/Viz Media  
**

* * *

If there is a hell, he decides, this must be just like it.

He moves back quickly, his foot lightly tapping against the ground as he avoids a right jab aimed at his diaphragm.

She keeps on him still, not fast by his standards, but with a ferocity that rivals that of the her mentor. Her brows pull together as she fails to land another hit, and she lets out a scream of frustration

His gaze locks on her lips, slightly flushed from exertion as they twist back into a scowl, and he swallows hard when her little tongue darts out to swipe her lower lip once quickly, concentrating on her next movement.

It had been her idea to spar together. She had been on a mission in which her incompetence in taijutsu became apparent, and she had been pleading with him to train with her ever since . He had eventually agreed- a decision he was quickly coming to regret.

On a normal day, the pink haired kunoichi would be no match for him, and they both knew it. While her absurd strength dwarfed his, his speed was superior to hers. He even went as far as to refrain from using his sharingan in an attempt to even out the odds.

Today however, he found himself distracted- his previous decision effectively working against him in a way he had not expected.

His eyes moved up and down her form, gauging her position to discern her next movement.

She was bent in a fighting stance, arms held protectively before her. Black leather gloves strained tightly against her knuckles as she clutched her hands into fists in front of her. Her chest was heaving in effort. Her body covered in a thin sheen of sweat, her clothes sticking closely to her skin.

_As if they weren't tight enough_.

He bites back at the thought quickly, berating himself as the need to lay his hands on the girl runs through him.

She advances again, moving swiftly- a fist pulled back. He had to move quickly, if she landed one of her infamous blows, this would end quickly.

But just as he shifts to dodge a chakra laced fist, she feints- pulling back a knee and thrusting it into his gut quickly.

She keeps on him, snaking a leg around his and using the moment to force him backwards, effectively tripping him. He finds himself on the ground, and her forearm digs harshly into his throat. She settles on top of him, using all of her weight to keep him pinned beneath her body- her other arm already pulled back at the ready and pulsing a dull green.

Desire rips through him as he feels her body settle against his, and a forced sigh leaves his lips.

A moment passes before the malice fades from her face, and a smirk replaces it- the green waves previously rolling off her fist ceasing.

She smiles tauntingly at him, the high of her win feeding her arrogance,

"Not so competent without your sharingan eh, U-chi-ha?"

His vision blurs red for a second, and he reaches his limit. A growl rips up from his throat, and he flips her over- effectively reversing their positions. His mouth moves to her neck fervently as his hands make quick work of her clothing- determined to show her _exactly_ how competent he could be.


	21. Chapter 21

**It's just shy of four o'clock in the morning here, and I find myself unable to sleep again (sighs). I like this one quite a bit, and I hope you guys do too. **

* * *

Her breath fogs out visibly in front of her before dissipating short seconds later. A shiver ripples through her, shaking her frame.

Surely this magnitude of snow has to be unorthodox, even for the land of snow, she thinks as she glares at the snow at her feet. Her gaze lifts and she focuses on the Uchiha's back in front of her, acting as a guide. Judging by the sound of his footfalls, he could not have been more than a few feet ahead, but the falling snow distorted her line of vision.

They had been assigned on a reconnaissance in Yukigakure, and they had been fighting the cold as they passed through the mountains for the better part of three days.

The crunching sound of his feet landing in the snow abruptly stops, and she follows suit.

He looks over his shoulder at her,

"We'll camp here for tonight." he gestures to a small break made by the natural rock formation of the mountain. It was not ideal, but it would give relief from the wind.

Her chin lowers once quickly in affirmation, and she moves quickly to the rock face before setting herself down against the side of the mountain.

An eastward wind blows lithely towards them, and she pulls the hood of her robe closer to her face. She glares at the murky purple sky, devoid of sunlight as seemingly endless soft flakes fall around her.

In the interest of stealth, building a fire was out of a question, but in that moment she longs for the warmth of a flame. She does not fare well in the cold, more suited for the blazing summers of the fire country than the tiny masses that were currently falling from the sky.

Exhaling heavily, she stretches a hand in front of her and flexes her fingers stiffly, feeling the cold's effect on the digits of her hand.

Sasuke moves to settle next to her, and her gaze flickers to the side as she gazes at the raven haired man. His expression is apathetic, almost bored, as he stares off into space.

Again the wind rushes against them harshly, and she bites her arm to stifle the growing whimper that threatens to pass chapped lips.

It does not escape his notice, and he turns to stare at her for a moment. She quickly removes her hand from her face, determined not to show weakness in front of the Uchiha. He blinks at her once, and she just sighs and turns her face forwards again.  
A moment passes before she suddenly feels herself being pulled to the right. She falters slightly before thumping softly into his side, his arm settling over her shoulders as he moves to pull the side of his cloak over her.

She stiffens, green eyes blinking in shock for a moment before staring up at the boy questioningly, but he's not looking at her, his gaze turned upwards towards the rock face.

She stares at him for another second questioningly, eyes blinking as a petal of snow lands on her lower lash line. He remains expressionless though, and she smiles softly, settling into him and relishing the feeling of his body heat slowly starting to creep through her side.


	22. Chapter 22

**Hello everyone, and thank you for reading! We're on chapter 22 already (when did that happen?). I decided to revisit the idea of family (a topic I'm not confident in my ability to write about- bear with me). I realize this one is on the shorter side; I apologize. **

**I spent fourteen hours in the airport/traveling today. I'm still getting used to the new schedule and the time zone changes, so if I'm a little late on my updates, that will most likely be why (sorry!)**

**Without further delay, here's chapter 22~**

* * *

A booming crash resonated within the walls within Konoha General Hospital. In the lobby, Sasuke winced. Sakura had been in labor for the better part of twelve hours and she clearly wasn't coping well.

It had been just shy of eight months since Sakura had first told him she was with child, and he had stayed diligent in his support of her keeping the baby. She had been weary- not confident in her abilities to raise a child.

It was an absurd apprehension, of course. There was no other kunoichi in their generation more suited for motherhood than Sakura.

His eyes closed, and the hands in his lap closed into fists as he realized that he was also the most likely the least fitted for parenthood.

Fate was not without a sense of irony, it seemed.

The raven haired man cringed as another ear splitting cacophony sounded through the hall.

He had originally been in the delivery room with her, intending to stay by her side through the birthing process. But as the labor pains raked through her body, Sakura had sent a chakra laced fist into the thing closest to her- obliterating the small end table by her bed. Tsunade had promptly kicked him out after that, and he figured the hokage was the only one who could keep the pink haired girl at bay in her current state.

* * *

The sky had stained orange with the passage of time and he glared at the clock. Did it usually take this long? Had there been a complication in the delivery process? What if-

The doors to the main wing swung open, and he looked up to see Shizune walking out, sighing in apparent relief and letting her hair out of its bind.

"Tsunade says you can see her now," she let out as she swiped the sweat off of her brow.

He let a long breath before moving to get up, letting the medic lead the way.


	23. Chapter 23

**Disclaimer: All characters and settings are property and copyright of their owners.  
Fanfiction stories provided for educational purposes and personal use only.  
****©_Naruto_ is copyright Masashi Kishimoto/Hayato Date/Shueisha/Studio Pierrot/TV Tokyo/Viz Media**

**I continually find myself becoming more and more disgruntled with Kishimoto's portrayal of the female characters (_especially_ Sakura) in _Naruto,_ and I wanted to write a piece that represented that. Thank you so much for reading this far! **

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The morning is young, and the moon's light still filters through the windows of their little flat. She's awake, more suited to the morning than most. She has a shift at the hospital later in the morning, but it's a few hours off as she brews a cup of tea for herself on their small stove top before moving back to the bedroom.

Pausing at the entryway, she stares at the raven haired man still asleep. He's laying on his side, curled in an almost defensive way. Black lashes fan out gently against his cheeks, and his mouth parts slightly under the weight of unconsciousness. Years spent as a rogue-nin had aged him prematurely, and he looks harsh, even in his sleep, a ghost of a scowl still on his mouth.

Still, she feels love for the Uchiha pull through her chest as she continues to gaze at him from across the room.

She understood they were not the most orthodox of pairings. If she was being honest with herself, she knew that their relationship was precarious- that under no normal circumstances would it have worked. There was nothing that tied them together, really. No common thread that they both shared. And while some would say that opposites attract, she knew that in reality the discrepancies between two people tended to tear them apart more often than not.

Where he had always been soft spoken and analytical where she was loud and impulsive. He was reclusive, and she wore her heart on her sleeve. He was conventionally attractive, and she was endearing, but in an awkward way. Her kindness was all-inclusive, and he could be cruel.

And while they shared a common profession, they were on opposite sides of the spectrum of it. He was absurdly strong, the heir of one of the founding clans. His bloodline was legendary, and he had made a name for himself, albeit negatively, throughout the continent when he was only sixteen.

She paled in comparison; her only redeeming factor in terms of strength being her medical abilities brought on by her mentor.

So why was he here? What tied her to the man before her?

She moves to the bed, curling up against him underneath the covers. He wakes nearly immediately, a light sleeper. He blinks at her, not particularly comfortable with cuddling and unsure of how to react to her sudden closeness. She stares back at him evenly, but the insecurity is deeply rooted within her gaze, and it fails to escape his notice.

Unsure of how to comfort the woman in front of him, he opts to place what he hopes to be a comforting hand on her head- watching his fingers disappear underneath pink strands. He looks down at her, waiting for her to elaborate. She moves closer to him still, and he tucks her pink head underneath his chin as she clings to him.

". . . Sometimes I wonder if I am enough for you."

Above her head where she cannot see, he blinks once in surprise,

"Tch. Stupid."

"I know..." Her forehead presses to his chest and a long breath ghosts past her lips.

"I love you," she whispers.

The hand on her head slips through the length of her hair.

"Hn."


	24. Chapter 24

Sounds of combat reverberated through the area. Red life force splattered in stark contrast against his armour, and he grit his teeth as he pulled a kunai from the abdomen of his assailant. He moved his arm up quickly to sever the enemy's larynx- effectively cutting of the man's screams.

The man slackened before completely going limp, and the Uchiha shoved his attacker's body off of him and straightened from his fighting stance. Sharingan laden eyes quickly swept the perimeter. He counted eight bodies scattered about his feet, mangled limbs sprawled out at awkward angles from the bloodied corpses.

His eyes darted around nervously as he realized his squad's bodies were not among them.

_Sakura_.

Willing his chakra to his feet, his foot tapped the earth lightly once before he lunged skyward. From his new found height, he quickly scanned the surrounding area.

Locking in on her chakra signature about a hundred yards off, he moved swiftly- his footfalls landing quickly in the branches as he made his way to her.

Her mind barely registered the rush of wind that hit her at his approach, his crimson scarf catching the momentum and blowing around him at his abrupt halt.

She was crumpled in a heap on her knees; the third member of their squad was laid out on his back before her. In what Sasuke assumed to be an effort to make his intake of oxygen easier, the pink haired medic had removed their comrade's ANBU mask and was furiously trying to resuscitate the boy. Hot tears came in torrents down her face and made themselves apparent under the edge of her mask, small sobs escaping from her chest.

The Uchiha regarded the boy in between them. His clothes had been cut and pulled apart, a puckered pink line ran from his left shoulder to his navel, indicating a freshly healed wound. No doubt Sakura's work. He was young, not more than eighteen, and his face was expressionless and pale- his chest still. The boy's chakra flow had ceased for some time.

"Sakura."

The heel of her hand bit into the boy's sternum as she continued to press into him, willing his heart to beat as she recited the words monotonously,

"Rule number one: medical ninjas shall never give up on treating their teammates as long as they can still breathe."

She grit her teeth and continued the thrusting motion into the shinobi's chest,

"Rule number two: medical ninjas are not allowed to engage in combat."

She faltered, her breath hitching,

"Rule number three...Medical ninj-"

She cringed.

"...Medical ninjas shall be the last to die in the team."

"Sakura..."

"He jumped in to protect me. He took a hit for me. I can do this. It should have been me. I should have-" another sob racked her body,

He moved to her eye level, placing a glove clad hand on hers, still fisted together on the boy's chest.

"Sakura, stop. He's dead."

Her body continued her ministrations before she stilled. She removed her bloodied hands from under his, ripping off her porcelain mask and fisting her hands over her eyes.

He moved to her side and pulled her up to her feet. He was met with resistance, and he had to use a little more force than he preferred to move the medic-nin from her position next to the boy.

"I couldn't- I couldn't save him."

He moved to hold her tightly, forearms digging into her back roughly in an attempt to comfort the girl. He rested his lips on the top of her head.

". . . I know."

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**Med-nin rules: see _Naruto _chapter 577.**


	25. Chapter 25

**A/N: Set shortly after Sasuke's return to Konohagakure. **

******Also, a chabudai is a short-legged table used traditional in Japanese housing. It's similar to a kotatsu in structure, but without the blankets and the heating mechanism. **

******On to Chapter 25~**

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The dying sun left everything with a tint of orange in its last moments as it set behind Hokage Mountain. He had placed himself at the side of his chabudai as he gazed absently out the window of his flat, not really seeing anything.

Aphotic eyes flickered over to the left where she was walking around his living space, amusing herself by scrutinizing the photographs he'd placed on the shelves. Sakura paused at one and picked up a framed photo of team seven.

Again, he was taken aback at how different she appeared in front of him. She had changed in his absence, growing out of the girlish features and insecurities that plagued her in her youth. Her flushed tresses, which she had grown in favor of keeping short, seemed to be the only physical similarity between her and the girl from his memories.

He supposed he had changed too, though not as drastically as she had.

His gaze lingered on the more feminine curves of her body, and he felt desire to lay his hands on the girl pull through his chest.

He wanted to take her. Forcibly push her into his bed. Hold her body down…

He obliterated the thought, teeth clicking audibly as his jaw clenched. He tore his gaze away, irritated at the new found discomfort he felt between his thighs.

"Sasuke-kun?"

He turned to find that she had placed herself next to him at his small chabudai. How had he missed that? Her feminine scent assaulted his nose, and he stiffened.

He had shunned bodily contact for the majority of his life, and he was not accustomed to the close proximity she seemed to insist upon keeping.

Still, he found he was not particularly adverse to it.

She seemed to realize her position too, and her eyes grew softer. Flushed lips parted, and he swallowed, feeling atypically nervous as the girl leaned toward him.

He supposed he had brought this upon himself. He had touched her first, kissing her roughly in a moment of desperation- a testament to his inability to vocalize his needs. It had been nearly two weeks since then, and she had clearly reached her limit.

Pink lips pushed against his insistently, and he froze for a moment. Unsure of what to do. His hands fixed on the girl's waist in his uncertainty.

His incompetence was blown away though when she pressed her body up against him, pulling away only to let her lips trail to his ear,

Her voice was light, breathless, as she sighed his name, "Sasuke-kun."

His breath ceased. Desire coursed through him again, and he felt his eyes shift to red as the newfound adrenaline activated his bloodline. He pushed back his prior hesitancy, roughly moving to settle over top the girl as he pressed her to the floorboards.


	26. Chapter 26

**As we come up on the end of my first month of posting (26 pieces in 29 days . . . Insanity, I know), I just want to say thank you to everyone for stopping by. This whole experience has been crazy/amazing for me, and my heart always speeds up a bit when I get hits from around the globe. Shout out to all of my reviewers, favorites, and followers. I look forward to continuing these pieces with all of you! xoxo**

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"This is unnecessary."

She looked up from her task, fingers moving gingerly through the racks of garments. Standing at the edge of the small shop, his eyes darted nervously from side to side as people milled about the street behind him.

He starting to draw stares, and Sakura noticed more than one mother push their child hurriedly in front of them as they passed the Uchiha. She sighed, coral strands shaking as she straightened up..

Her voice lowered in an attempt to be inconspicuous "Sasuke..." She looked pointedly to the villagers behind him, and he followed her line of sight, noting the way the villagers seemed to scurry underneath his gaze. He looked back to her quickly, a little embarrassed maybe.

The deep tone of her voice carried over to him heavily, "They're scared, and your appearance isn't exactly helping." Green eyes flickered intentionally down to the purple sash tied around his waist, a trademark of his former mentor, before moving back to her face.

Contemplating her words for a moment, he noted the way the voices of the townspeople discernibly muted as they passed him. He supposed the villagers' apprehension was warranted. Even going as far as to revive his former mentor, he had killed an innumerable amount of their clansmen and had had an indirect hand in the fourth shinobi world war. His lip curled back in disgust as he remembered the snake like man he had resuscitated in his vendetta to find answers. Yes, the citizens of Konoha really did have every reason to detest him.

A sigh ghosted his lips, and his expression cleared, shoulders sagging infinitesimally in defeat.

Pink lips pulled into a tight smile, content with his reaction. She knew reacclimating to life on the surface couldn't have been easy, but it pulled at her heartstrings to see him trying.

Turning lithely, she returned to her task. She had purposefully come to this shop; the owner was older and specialized in the more traditional clothing Sasuke had an affinity for. Feminine hands fingered through the selection, passing up the finer silks for cotton and lighter, synthetic fabrics.

Glancing back surreptitiously at the Uchiha, she absentmindedly wondered what color would suit him. Blue, possibly. Maybe grey. He seemed to have a fondness for black, but she wondered if the aphotic color would give off the wrong impression.

Trusting her base instinct, she removed a garment from its hangings- navy in color.

He half expected her to hand it to him, but she continued on- moving behind him. Flinching slightly as he felt her hands press against his back, he threw a questioning glance behind his shoulder,

"Sakura, what-"

"Hush, I'm trying to gauge if the shoulder span is broad enough for you. Now stand straight."

He let out an exasperated sigh and turned to face forward, waiting for her to finish.

But as her hands pressed the fabric to his back, he found it hard to relax, her fingers leaving goosebumps in their wake as she straightened the fabric against his shoulder blades.

If she noticed, she paid no heed to his distress as she held the fabric to his back- gauging the fit. After another moment, she pulled away with a slight smile on her face, seemingly pleased with her find.

"I think this should work."

He moved. Gently taking the shirt from her, he regarded it for a short moment before walking past her and handing it to the small shop owner. He paid for it, giving a slight nod to the old shopkeeper before leaving. He paused a little ways outside of the shop and glanced back, waiting for her.

Smiling, she quickly made her way towards him.

"So you like it?"

Raven hair tipped forward as he regarded the shirt in his grip,

"Hn."

She could have been imagining it, but she could have sworn she saw a bit of pink adorning the tips of his ears.


	27. Chapter 27

**Disclaimer: All characters and settings are property and copyright of their owners.  
Fanfiction stories provided for educational purposes and personal use only.  
****©_Naruto_ is copyright Masashi Kishimoto/Hayato Date/Shueisha/Studio Pierrot/TV Tokyo/Viz Media**

**Because we all know a certain Uchiha is a closet cuddlebug~**

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He breaks into consciousness, his body taut as the remnants of his dream wash over him. Atramentous eyes flicker back and forth, and the rigidness of his body subsides as he discerns where he is. His thoughts continue to race however, and he lifts a shaky hand in front of his face to discern its validity.

_Itachi._

The hand above him clenches into a fist, the skin above his knuckles staining white with the newfound strain. Sleepless nights were not uncommon for him. Years of vengeance had left him restless and haunted even years later and, while he had found his resolve, his mid refused to let him rest.

The content of his dreams had changed drastically in the passing of time though, and his jaw tightens at the thought of years wasted chasing after lies.

_Nii-san._

His breath hitches as a new torrent of grief for his older brother hits him. How many nights had been spent cursing the elder Uchiha? How much of his life had been wasted in senseless hours of hatred and destruction?

And for what? The truth had been lost on him- held at arms length in an attempt to validate his innocence.

His senses are drawn to a slight movement in his peripheral vision, and the agitated state of his thoughts breaks abruptly when, next to him, a girl shifts her weight on the mattress, her coral tresses trailing behind her in stark contrast with the white of the sheets. Still in the embrace of unconsciousness, her eyelids flutter slightly as she curls herself closer to him in her sleep.

He blinks at her, a little taken aback at her forwardness, but she continues unabashedly, curling into him in a childlike manner.

His body having grown accustomed to a solitary lifestyle in his years of isolation, he is not particularly fond of the close contact. But he lets Sakura nestle herself against his side- slightly amused at her endeavor to get close to him even in her subdued condition.

Her breath fans out softly across his abdomen as she exhales and becomes still once more, seemingly content with their newfound juxtaposition.

Staring down at the junction at which her skin meets his, he finds the harsh torrents of his mind calming, brought on by her presence.

His breath leaves him in a large exhalation, lungs emptying themselves into a blank slate, and he turns his face into strands of coral, letting her fill his senses and assuage him back into an unconscious state.


	28. Chapter 28

Disclaimer: All characters and settings are property and copyright of their owners.  
Fanfiction stories provided for educational purposes and personal use only.  
**©_Naruto_ is copyright Masashi Kishimoto/Hayato Date/Shueisha/Studio Pierrot/TV Tokyo/Viz Media**

* * *

His ivory skin donned a slight sheen of perspiration and pulled taut over sculpted muscles as he undressed, an exhibition of the effort he had put into his training that morning. He had started early, the sun's rays just beginning to reach over the edges of Hokage Mountain when he left the practice grounds.

The familiar squeaking of the shower reverberated through the washroom as he waited for the water to warm up to a suitable temperature. He dimly registered the sound of the door opening before he felt small fingers tentatively ghost over the skin between his neck and shoulder blade on his left side.

If she noticed the way his body stiffened, she refused to mention it as she continued to stare at the spot on where Orochimaru's cursed seal of heaven used to stain the Uchiha's skin- her eyes unfocused as memories of the mark flooded through her. She remembered how terrified she was of him then, so unlike the Sasuke she knew him to be, heartlessly tearing both of the Oto boy's arms from their respective sockets.

Her voice was soft when she finally spoke,

"Did it hurt?"

His gaze flickered over his shoulder, and he gauged her expression for a second before answering evenly,

"Sometimes," he murmured before turning his gaze back before him.

She continued to trace the spot lightly though, heat radiating from the area where her fingertips came into contact with his skin. He guessed by the lack of noise usually made by clothes rustling that she was probably wearing close to nothing, and Sasuke briefly wondered how long his self control could hold out until he turned and took her right there.

The contact ceased for a moment before small hands, weathered and cracked from the life of a shinobi, splayed out on either side of his back across his shoulders.

He almost looked back at her in question, but as he made to turn, he felt the lightest of kisses on the spot where the curse mark used to be, her lips lightly pressing at the juncture of his shoulder and neck.

Textured pink locks pressed against his back a second later, and he felt an elongated sigh brush against his skin as the breath left her lungs in a seemingly ceaseless breath. He let her hold him there in a makeshift embrace for an elongated minute, enjoying the contact more than he felt he had a right to.

It was quiet when she spoke again, barely audible over the spray of water coming from the shower head, but her small voice reached his ears in a murmur,

"Aishiteru."

His shoulders relaxed minutely as he registered a slight tremor in her voice. _This woman_. Always so emotional.

He pulled away gently and turned to face her slightly, leaning in close to press a soft kiss to her jaw. He replaced the distance between them again only to take her hand and gently lead her into the shower with him, his lips beckoning into a small smile.

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**So "Aishiteru" is "I love you" in Japanese. However, saying "I love you" in Japanese can be a little more complicated than the typical Western, "I love you." In Japan, there are several ways to say it depending on your feelings and the person you are referring to. "Aishiteru" is reserved for serious relationships and is a very intimate and serious way of saying "I love you," which is why I picked it for Sasuke and Sakura's relationship in this particular chapter. **

**Leave me a review? :) **

**xo**


	29. Chapter 29

Disclaimer: All characters and settings are property and copyright of their owners.  
Fanfiction stories provided for educational purposes and personal use only.  
**©_Naruto_ is copyright Masashi Kishimoto/Hayato Date/Shueisha/Studio Pierrot/TV Tokyo/Viz Media**

* * *

The door to their flat flew open only to slam shut moments later, a loud bang reverberating through the hallway of their apartment complex its wake.

He supposed this was to be expected. He knew what she was capable of- having witnessed her beat the dobe on numerous occasions- but her anger had never been directed towards him before. He understood she had her limits.

But that didn't mean he had to like it.

A long exasperated sigh left him, his lungs completely devoid of oxygen, in his annoyance.

"Sakura. Drop it."

She had been on his back all morning all morning in hopes that he would agree to accompany her to the Summer festival. He wasn't one for fireworks, much less crowds, and the thought of being dragged around Konohagakure all night on the whim of Sakura's naïveté was cringe worthy.

"I just thought we could go out like a normal couple for once, but I guess that's beyond you."

Another long sigh passed between his lips

He didn't ask for this. Despite Sakura's assurance that he was acclimating to village life, Sasuke still felt out of place, and a night at the festival would be more trouble than it was worth.

It would make her happy though.

He moved towards the kitchen, depositing the groceries they had just purchased into the fridge with a little more force than necessary. He vaguely recognized the sound of her moving behind him, and when he looked up, he saw her at the table setting out dishes dejectedly.

"Naruto would go with me..." the words left her in a small mumble.

He paused once more, the weight of her statement setting in. Each syllable resounded through his chest, cutting into him like dull blades weighing on his shoulders with each passage, and the anger within him seemed to echo back in full force.

Behind him, Sakura held her composure. She knew it was a low blow, and it almost hurt her pride to stoop so low as to prod at Sasuke's underlying feelings of jealousy towards Naruto. But his blatant refusal to go out was outright childish; he could suck it up for once. Kami-sama knew she had made sacrifices for him, and accompanying her for one night was not too much to ask.

The next second he was in her face, a harsh scowl on his features, but she refused to acknowledge him. A sanin in her own right and every bit his equal now, she had long since grown out of the fear she had once held for the Uchiha heir.

It only served to infuriate him more.

"Then why don't you do it then? Go with _Naruto._"

She wasn't even _looking _at him. His hand shot out to grab her chin, and she finally met his gaze. Her eyes hardened like lightning when he touched her though, and he removed his hand quickly, knowing he had overstepped his bounds.

Her voice raised in anger, "Do you think that would make me _happy?_"

_Would it? _

He averted his eyes, disgusted at both the amount of jealousy coursing through him and his inability to express himself in a way that didn't make the situation worse.

"I didn't fall in love with _Naruto._ I didn't chase _him _across the continent." Sakura moved towards the raven haired boy and grabbed a fistful of his shirt, pulling herself up to his height and going toe to toe with him, "I didn't beg for _him_ to stay in Konohagakure when he left." She pulled herself closer still, their noses almost touching, "It has _always_ been you. Don't you _ever_ dispute that."

She stayed there, fist still gripping him and eyes still hard and full of fight, and, he was again thrown off guard for a moment in light of how strong she had become in his absence, so resilient and determined. There was not even the slightest bit of hesitation in her words or actions, and he had to admit he found this side of her endearing, a slight blush brushing up against his cheek bones. His chin jutted forward and he pressed his lips roughly to hers once, but he pulled away just as quickly.

"Okay."

She stared at him for a few seconds more before her fingers loosened, and she seemed to calm down a bit. She let out an exasperated sigh and raked a hand through her coral tresses roughly, "So are you going to the festival with me or not?"

He looked at her pointedly for a few moments before sighing and moving to the kitchenette to resume putting the groceries away. It wasn't a sigh of annoyance now though, but of defeat.

She let out a small smile, happy with her small but undeniable victory and made to join him, letting her hand brush against his shoulders once as she passed.

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**AN: Hello, and thank you for reading this far! I am not 100% happy with this one, but I felt bad for leaving you guys hanging for so long. Big thank you to my frequent and/or returning reviewers (a whole whopping six of you). If you've sent me a request, I'll be trying to get to it within the next week or so. Until next time!**


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